


Not exactly by the book

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Episode Related, Friendship, Gen, Gunshot Wounds, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-28 04:32:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8431984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Peter tells us in S02E04 ‘By the Book’ that Christopher Navarro has a low tolerance to outsiders. When he was in prison, he had time to think about who put him there. And now he is out…





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ziai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ziai/gifts).



> Written for icecreammilktea, who asked for a fic where Neal was hurt protecting Peter. Written for Fall fest 2016.

Neal groans when he wakes up. What the hell happened? He opens his eyes but slams them shut when industrial lighting pierces his eyes. He rolls over but bumps into something soft. He opens his eyes again and realizes it is Peter.

“Peter?” he croaks. But Peter doesn´t move. Seeing Peter does however trigger his memory.

 

_They were walking to June’ s mansion. There was no parking space so Peter had to park two blocks away. Earlier in the office, Peter had mentioned to Neal that El was on a girlfriend outing. So when the left the office, Neal had invited Peter for dinner. They got out of the car and started walking._

That is where the memory sort of stopped.

Movement next to him, alerts him that Peter is regaining consciousness.

“What happened?” Peter grits out.

“We were kidnapped.”

“Yeah, I figured that much, the tie rips gave it away.”

“Did you see who took us?”

Before they can do anything to get out of their predicament, they hear footsteps. Peter and Neal closes their eyes, pretending to be still unconscious. When a foot connects with Neal´s ribcage, he groans.

“No need to pretend gentlemen.” To someone else he says.” Get them up.”

Both men are pulled towards their feet.

“Remember me?”

“Christopher Navarro. What do you want?”

“You and your little pet convict here made my life complicated. Where I come from, we take care of pests.”

“So what do you want from us?”

“I think that is obvious. I want you to die.”

A chill runs past Peter´s spine.

“Why didn’t you kill us when you had the chance?”

“What would be the fun in that? I need to give a signal. You understand how these things work.”

Navarro redirects his attention to Neal. “Now Mister Caffrey, what did you do in my humidor?”

“If you know my name, you also know what I can do for you.”

“Yeah, I heard interesting things about you in prison.” He looks at one of his men. “Take him with us. Keep the agent here. He might still be useful, I guess he makes for a great incentive for the other one.”

Neal looks at Peter trying to convey that everything will be alright. He gets a rough push towards the door.

“Take it easy, I´m no good to your boss, injured.”

A second shove makes it clear they don´t care.

 

* *  *

 

Neal yawns, he is tired, bone tired. He has been forging a print plate for a some foreign currency for the last two days. The have fed him only the bare minimum. He is so hungry it makes him dizzy.

But he realizes that he will have to be the one to get both of them out of here. Peter is still kept in the room where they woke up. Neal saw they gave him water and some sandwiches so they don´t want him dead immediately. Navarro is smarter than to waste a valuable hostage. Neal will do anything to prevent Peter from getting hurt, but he is also realistic enough to know that Navarro will kill them both when he finishes the plates.

He worked slow when he started, but it only cost him a busted ankle. Navarro´s goons are careful not to cause injuries that will prevent him from working, but that is the only leeway he gets. He hopes the ankle is just badly sprained but he fears it is worse than that.

Pains shoots through his leg and his eyes snap open. When did he close them?

“Get to work.”

“I need to sleep, You don´t want me to make a mistake, do you?” Neal grits between his teeth. “It is not like I´m going to run away.”

The man walks up close and grabs Neal by the arm. Neal´s hand bumps against something hard and instinctively his fingers close around it.

“What is going on in here?” Navarro enters the room.

“He says he needs a rest.”

Navarro studies Neal.

“You get half an hour and you stay in this room.”

Neal lets his upper body rest on the table and closes his eyes. He needs to use all his willpower not to fall asleep. He can hear Navarro and his men leave the room. He waits another couple of minutes and then he gets up.

He checks out the phone he lifted of the guy and calls Diana.

“ _Berrigan_.”

“Diana, track this number.”

“ _Neal, where are you?”_

“I´m going to get Peter, come get us.”

Neal doesn´t wait for an answer, lets the still connected phone slide inside his pocket and gets of the chair. The moment he puts weight on his leg, he almost blacks out. When his vision returns somewhat to normal, he clenches his jaw and takes another step. The pain seems to consume him from the inside out. His stomach rolls but there is nothing inside resulting in dry heaving.

He can hear Diana calling out for him, but he ignores her. More determined than before, he starts limping towards the room they keep Peter in. Navarro`s men haven´t found the lock pick in his shirt collar.

He tries to pick the lock, but has a hard time concentrating on it. He takes a deep breath when he hears the lock click open.

“Peter?”

“Neal?” Peter´s voice comes out of the dark.

“Let´s go.” Neal really doesn´t want to move more than absolutely necessary. He can hear Peter stumbling in the dark and the suddenly Peter is in front of him.

“You look like shit, Neal.”

“Hello to you too Peter, what do you say we get the hell out of here?”

“Good plan.”

Neal takes a step, but can´t contain the moan that escapes him. Peter looks back at him and without saying anything wraps his hand around his waist and starts walking.

Suddenly they can hear someone entering the other room.

“CAFFREY ESCAPED!”

“Let´s go Peter!”

They start running, despite Neal´s injury, it is more that Peter does the running and Drags Neal with him.

When Neal hears a gun being cocked behind them, he pushes Peter aside. The force of the impact of the bullet sends him crashing to the ground. Peter looks in shock at Neal who is face down on the floor. The next bullet misses him and Peter freezes.

“You are more intelligent than our friend here.” One of the men says, while kicking Neal in the side, who doesn´t move at all.

“FBI, FREEZE!”

The man grabs Peter and holds him in front of him like a human shield. The arm around his throat is uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as the gun that is pushed in his side.

“I will kill your agent, I shot his pet, don´t make me kill him too.”

Peter is facing the SWAT team. He can see Diana and Jones´s tense faces behind them. He needs to do something, he can´t just be used as leverage. He looks at Neal, who still hasn´t moved and then goes completely limp. His hostage taker isn´t expecting that, and Peter is no lightweight. The moment the man behind him lets go, he is shot by one of the SWAT team members. The team immediately comes into action, two of them pulling Peter to safety.

“Let me go, check on Neal. NEAL!” he calls out.

But then he can see paramedics entering the corridor, they immediately start assessing Neal and Peter slowly slides down the wall until he is sitting on the ground. He doesn´t take his eyes off of Neal. A pressure bandage is applied, oxygen is given and IV´s started before the paramedics prepare to wheel Neal out to the ambulance. While they pass him, one of the paramedics calls out to him. “Is he your partner?”

“Yes he is, how is he doing?”

“Come with us.” He urges.

He doesn´t have to tell Peter twice. Once they are inside the ambulance, Peter let´s his head rest against the wall behind him. He starts when a hand feels for his wrist.

“Sorry didn´t want to spook you. My name is Louis, I just wanted to check your vitals.”

Peter nods. “How is he?”

“He is stable. But he has lost a lot of blood, that is why I am pumping him full of fluids, the oxygen is just a precaution. We are almost there. Rest.”

Peter opens his eyes when someone shakes him.

“Agent Burke?”

“Are we there?”

“Yes, you arrived at the hospital. My name is Francine.”

“Where is Neal?” a surge of panic washes through him when he sees that the gurney is gone.

“They took the other agent into the ER. You need to be assessed as well.” She smile encouragingly.

Peter slowly gets up and out of the ambulance, only to stop when he sees the wheelchair the nurse is holding.

“Hospital policy.”

Peter wants to object, but when he sees her face, he relents and sits down.

 

* *  *

“Boss?”

Peter startles awake. When did he fall asleep? And why does he always startle? What is wrong with him?

“Diana?”

“I´m sorry, I didn´t want to wake you.”

”It´s alright, I was just about to ask about Neal, but I must have fallen asleep.”

“Don´t bother, I already asked. He is doing well under the circumstances. He has a broken ankle and a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The bullet broke his shoulder blade. Surgeons were able to set everything and they don´t expect permanent damage.”

“That is good to hear. When can I get out of here?”

“Once all the Iv´s have run. You were dehydrated and a bit malnourished, nothing too severe, but you might want to rest while the IV´s do their job.”

“I think I will.”

“I will be right here. Jones is with Neal.”

“Good. Did you call El?”

“No, I think it would be best if you call her yourself so she can hear you are alright.”

“That is probably for the best. I will, once I have a nap.”

“Good, Rest.”

 

* *  *

 

“Jones?” A woman in scrubs approaches him.

“Any news on Neal?”

“Yes, he is waking up in Recovery as we speak. Once he is more awake, we will transfer him up to ortho 4, he is assigned room 423, it is the last room in the hallway..”

“Thank you doctor.”

Jones pretends to be writing in a patient chart when the doctor leaves. Hughes thought it best for an undercover protection detail. Jones’ telephone beeps. He reads the text from recovery, saying the patient is being prepared for transport. Jones waves another agent closer and they enter the recovery area where Neal is staring from under half mast eye lids. He doesn´t give any indication that he recognizes the agents.

“Hey Neal, we are going to take care of you, OK?”

“He is still heavily medicated.” The nurse explains when she sees the worry in Jones´s face.

“You are doing very well, aren´t you Neal?” the nurse gently rubs his forehead and Neal slowly closes his eyes.

The nurse checks all the info and paperwork and prepares Neal´s bed for transport.

“He is in room 423. Nurse Victoria will walk with you.”

“OK, thank you.”

 

* *  *

 

Peter opens his eyes, he stares a moment at the ceiling. Oh yeah, hospital. He takes stock of his body and realizes he feels better.

“Diana?”

“Yes, boss?”

“Is Neal in his room yet?”

“Yes, Jones brought him in about an hour ago.” He is resting comfortably.”

Peter gets up and wavers a second.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to see him.”

Diana walks out before telling Peter to stay put. She comes back with a wheelchair.

“I can walk.”

“Hospital policy.”

“Why does everybody keeps saying that?”

“Just humor me.”

Peter is mumbling under his breath, but sits down in the chair. Diana pushes him to Neal´s room. When they enter they can hear Jones reading a men´s magazine out loud.

“Seriously Jones?” Diana rolls her eyes. “Oh and you owe me 5 bucks.” She holds her hand out to Jones.

Peter turns around to check out Diana´s face.

“What? We made a bet what the first thing would be that you asked…”

Jones gives Peter a scolding glare.

“The nurse said that Neal can probably hear us as he is waking up from the anesthesia. And this was the only thing I could find. I don´t think Neal minds hearing about the latest woman´s swim wear.”

Peter gets up and shuffles towards Neal´s bed. “Hey Neal, we are all here, so if you feel up to it, maybe you can join us.”

Neal stirs and everybody starts encouraging Neal.

A stern looking nurse enters the room cutting off everybody.

“There are sick people trying to rest, can you please be more quiet?”

The three of them look like kids caught with their hand in the cookie jar. When the nurse leaves, they all start laughing.

“What is so funny?” A raspy voice makes itself known. Three heads turn around.

“Neal!”

“Don´t talk just yet. You just had major surgery.” Jones warns.

“Are you alright?” Neal asks when he gets Peter in his line of vision.

“Yes, I am, but promise me one thing?”

Neal nods.

“Never scare me like that again, ever, OK?”

“Understood.” Neal mumbles while closing his eyes again.

 

 


End file.
